Author: Rhys Gregory

Since contractual arrangements with G4S Health Services are due to end shortly, Cabinet has approved that the council will assume the direct management of social care responsibilities for prisoners at HMP Parc, in line with the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014. Although Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board will take over the provision of all health services in HMP Parc, it cannot provide domiciliary care. Therefore, Bridgend County Borough Council will become the registered domiciliary care provider. This move is set to take place from December 2022, with existing G4S employed care staff potentially being transferred to council…

A man has been issued with a £300 fixed penalty notice in a multi-agency operation to uncover illegal waste carriers responsible for damaging the local environment through fly tipping. Officers involved in Operation Torch, involving Neath Port Talbot Council, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MWWFRS) and South Wales Police, collaborated together to target potential unregistered waste carriers and other offences. The fixed penalty notice was issued to a man who responded to an advertisement on Facebook posted by the council’s Waste Enforcement section to remove waste, which consisted of black bin bags, plastics and scrap metal, despite…

A Haverfordwest man has received a suspended prison term for selling dangerous and unsafe second hand cars following a Pembrokeshire County Council investigation. Pembrokeshire Trading Standards team investigated after receiving complaints from people who had bought cars from Shamus Julius Dewaine, of Castleton Grove, Haverfordwest. Dewaine supplied two cars in a dangerous and unsafe condition causing a risk to the driver and passengers and other road users. Photographs showed the vehicles to be severely rusted. Another car was sold in ‘un-roadworthy’ condition that would not pass an MOT. Dewaine appeared before Swansea Crown Court for sentencing on Friday 4th November.…

A survey has gone live asking for opinions on childcare in Pembrokeshire. The survey is aimed at those who are mainly responsible for arranging childcare for county households. It can be found at: https://haveyoursay.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/childcare-in-pembrokeshire The Council is required by law to collect information on whether there is enough childcare in the local area to meet the needs of parents – who are in work or who are undertaking education or training leading to work – every five years. The closing date for responses is Monday 21st November 2022.

A new report has been issued by food and farming charity Sustain that recognises Monmouthshire County Council for the significant work it has undertaken to help tackle the climate emergency. Out of the 200 local authorities in the UK, only 12% (21 councils) have made significant advances in their plans to tackle climate change according to the ‘Every Mouthful Counts’ report published on Thursday 10th November. Monmouthshire County Council is one of three councils in Wales included on the list for leading the efforts. With an annual procurement spend of £70 billion, and as owners of up to 1.3 million…

RCT Council has appointed a contractor after receiving planning permission for the next major phase of work at the Tylorstown Landslip site – which covers remediation of the remaining tip on the hillside and reprofiling the upper tip. The Planning and Development Committee recently considered the Council’s application on October 20, and agreed with officer recommendations to grant permission. The landslip on February 16, 2020, followed three storms in quick succession and was triggered by Storm Dennis, a one-in-200-year event. The landslip blocked the river valley, broke a foul sewer, covered a strategic water main with several metres of debris,…

Merthyr Tydfil’s very own TikTok-dominating star dancer Lewis Leigh is joining the guest list at next week’s Christmas lights switch-on. The 21-year-old viral sensation who even appeared on the Good Morning America TV show during the Covid lockdowns will be at Redhouse Cymru next Saturday, November 19, for the first live switch-on in three years. Nandos worker Lewis became a star when he uploaded a video with Nan Phyllis dancing along in the background, which gained him more than 1.7m followers. The Christmas Family Fun Day will inlcude a funfair, inflatable snow globe, reindeer, festive walkabout characters, face painting and…

A consultation begins this week [Monday, 14 November] on proposals to require CCTV in all slaughterhouses in Wales. This is a Programme for Government commitment and is included in the Animal Welfare Plan for Wales, which seeks to maintain and improve standards of welfare for all kept animals. Most slaughterhouses in Wales already have CCTV.  This requirement would ensure all are covered, supporting consumer confidence welfare standards are being delivered. Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said: “Animal welfare is a priority for the Welsh Government, and our ambition is for all farmed animals to have a good quality of…

Welsh Government plans to promote a progressive, modern Wales on the global platform provided by the FIFA World Cup in Qatar have been unveiled by Economy Minister Vaughan Gething today. The campaign will project Wales’ values and secure a positive legacy from the country’s first World Cup campaign in 64 years. With less than a week to go until Wales plays the first group match against the USA, the Welsh Government’s programme of activities is well underway in a bid to showcase the best of Wales on a global stage and introduce the nation to new audiences. Today, the Minister…

A new national digital service which will streamline the Childcare Offer for parents and childcare providers has launched. The Childcare Offer has also been extended to more families, and parents in education and training can now apply for up to 30 hours of government funded early education and childcare for children aged three and four. Currently the Childcare Offer is delivered by local authorities who use different systems to process parent applications and pay providers for Childcare Offer hours provided. The national digital service will replace these systems so that every local authority, parent and childcare provider will use one…